


and we're forever

by DesertLily



Series: Saturnalia 2020 [4]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Apocalypse Fix-it, Cats, Fix-It, Fluff, Guilt, Happy Ending, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Gets a Hug, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post-Canon, Post-The Watcher's Crown (The Magnus Archives), They/Them Pronouns for Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Well mostly everyone - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28331190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertLily/pseuds/DesertLily
Summary: Jon had been through an infinite number of terrible things, but through it all Martin Blackwood had been by their side.  It was with Martin that they finally got the closest thing possible to a happy ending.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Series: Saturnalia 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2057067
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	and we're forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ghostqueer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostqueer/gifts).



> Okay, so like my Saturnalia fics are all super late at this point oop- . And yes, the title is from 'One Look' from Nativitiy

It had been a long time since Jon had truly let themself think about the future; think about a life where they could truly be happy. They had been hopeful once. When they first finished university, they had been wide eyed and full of dreams. But their job at the Magnus Institute had worn away at their dreams - working in the archives even more so. There had been very few benefits to becoming the Archivist. Optimism had certainly not been one of them. They had been almost complicit at the end of the world, ready to just give in and accept the damage they had done. 

_ Almost _ . 

But for whatever reason, they hadn’t been alone. They’d had Martin Blackwood by their side, and it had made them  _ unstoppable _ . How could it not be? No matter how scared they felt; how certain, he was there and they would always be grateful for it. Jon knew deep down that they had never deserved Martin and they probably never would. But he loved them. He truly loved them and they were grateful for it more and more with each passing day. Jon had saved Martin from the Lonely and Martin had saved Jon in general. He was their anchor to the world when it had gone to absolute shit. They had as good as lost everyone they knew and cared about, but not him. Never him. 

Jon couldn’t tell anyone how they stopped the apocalypse; how they turned the world back to normal. Mostly because they simply couldn’t remember. They remembered reaching the Panopticon but then...nothing. They didn’t know what happened next. The next thing Jon knew was Martin was helping pull them out of the ruins of the Magnus Institute. On the ground besides them had been the portrait of Jonah Magnus from Elias’s office. Its eyes were finally scratched out. Not a trace of Elias himself could be found and quite frankly? Jon didn’t care to look for him. 

Things got back to some degree of normality after that. People  _ acknowledged _ that the Watcher’s Crown had occurred and the world had fallen to fear, but no one talked about it. It was like a forbidden topic; an inexplicable blip in human history. But to so many people, it was impossible to forget. Tim. Sasha. Georgie. Melanie. Martin.  _ Jon _ . They had been the Archivist. They had both started it and ended it, and they would never fully forgive themself for it. Even if those around them already did. But they tried to live their life. They  _ had _ to. Because what was the point if they just let themself fall apart? 

They ended up buying a flat with Martin and for the first time, Jon understood what it meant to have a home. It wasn’t just somewhere they lived but somewhere they  _ thrived _ . It became a piece of themself that they weren’t ashamed of. It became the location of the many  _ incredible _ D&D games Melanie decided to host. It became the home to two excellent cats named Shelley and Byron. It became an extension of themself. Something that was solidified by a gift from Tim; an ace flag, an enby flag, and a pan flag. A reminder that Jon had so many things that better described them than the Archivist ever had. All three of those flags were now proudly pinned up in their living room. It was comforting; it was proof that they had a future and a chance to just Exist. 

Jon hadn’t been able to get a full time job. There was a degree of anxiety that came with the prospect of being locked in one place; trapped in a job. It was illogical. There would never be a job anything like being the Archivist, but fear never cared much for logic. So whilst Martin went on to become an English teacher, Jon found themself writing. They wrote about the Entities and what had happened to them, and just didn’t stop. Of course, everything was written under a pseudonym with false names.There weren’t enough records left of the Magnus Institute to properly confirm any workers outside of Elias Bouchard. Some praised their prose as a horror writer, but those that truly remembered what had happened read to understand  _ why _ . It was cathartic in a way. Every emotion and every fear had built up for so long that there was a deep degree of relief at being able to just write it down; to finally open up about the burden they had carried for so long. 

Life was going well. They had a life that they had never dared dream of. They allowed themself to be happy; to be normal. Jon allowed themself to enjoy the simple moments. This  _ had _ started as one of them. Whilst neither Jon or Martin celebrated Christmas, watching holiday films and taking the chance to buy each other gifts was still something they both gladly did. It was never anything big, but something endearing. Jon had gotten Martin a few new jumpers (with the full intentions of stealing them later on). Martin, however, had said their present was still on the way and they needed to be patient for it. Though, he offered no explanation outside of that. 

What had started as a couple’s night watching Love Actually had turned into a family one when Shelley and Keats had firmly wedged themselves between the two of them, demanding attention. And who was Jon to decline their cats the attention they rightfully deserved - not to mention that Shelley’s claws made it very clear just how she felt whenever Jon tried to stop petting her. Jon had a personal love for the film. It showed love in its infinite forms; a perfect juxtaposition to fear. 

It was towards the end of the film that Martin spoke up, “I used to think films like this were just...romanticised and fictitious.” He admitted, turning his gaze away from the screen to focus exclusively on Jon. “It didn’t seem possible to go for the whole ‘love conquers all’ ploy; to end up in love with a happy ending.” Jon practically melted into his touch as he moved to tuck their hair behind their hair. “And I’m very glad I was proven wrong.” The words were accompanied by a kiss pressed to the top of Jon’s head. 

“Martin…” What did they say to that? How did they summarise even a fraction of the things they loved about Martin when they adored him with every part of their being? “Thank you.” Jon whispered, taking a deep breath. “Thank you for loving me. For...For seeing something underneath all the damage and wrong I’ve caused.” They didn’t dare speak louder as they glanced up at him. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I grow more and more grateful for it every day.” 

The look on Martin’s phase was unreadable. “You’re not a bad person, Jon. You’ve never been a bad person.” He silenced them with a look when they tried to speak up. “I’m...I’m not justifying some of the things both of us have done. But you’re good. You care so much and you’re so much better than you ever give yourself credit for. One day, I hope you’ll be able to see that. Especially when I would very much like to spend the rest of my life with you.” Their eyes widened as they watched Martin take a small box out of his pocket. “Jonathan Sims, will you marry me?” 

They didn’t even need to think before they answered. “Yes. God...Of course I want to marry you…” Jon was fairly certain they couldn’t articulate the pure joy they felt into words so they acted inside. They kissed him with pure love and sincerity. “I love you. More than anything.” 

If someone had tried to tell Jonathan Sims a few years ago that they would end up happy, in love, and truly content with life then Jon would have called them a liar. Jonathan Blackwood-Sims was beyond glad to call it their reality. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!! Or hmu @ desert-lily on tumblr


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